The inwall 380 starfire reborn
- Thread starter Sparkss
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There sure is
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10193106#post10193106 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
Well, we ordered a power distribution setup made by Chauvet this morning :
http://www.chauvetlighting.com/fixtures/timersystem_fix.shtml
Which comes with one of these :
http://www.chauvetlighting.com/fixtures/relaypack_fix.shtml
After shipping it was less than $100, so it will still be less overall than our originally planned use of the 8 switched outlet units. The control unit can be up to 25' away from the switched/controlled outlets, which will work out nicely for what I have in mind
It was less than $100 after shipping, I bought ours from this guy on Ebay. It was/is $79.99 + $13 shipping to my locale.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-Chauv...ryZ29942QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I was originally going to get one of the switch sets like Marc (Melev) uses to provide manual control to shut off our pumps, etc, without having to resort to constantly unplugging them (this really mainly applies to our skimmer, when taking it down for weekly cleaning). When I started searching for those lighted outlet switch boxes I came across these units. Both American DJ and Chauvet make both types (the ones with the outlets and switches in the same box and the ones like ours with them separate). I also liked the idea that the control switches can be up to 25' away from where I put the outlets, this really made things easier when it came to running the plugs from our pumps, etc, since they really don't need to be as accessible as they might have otherwise. I had mapped out how we were going to use the one that Marc uses and we were going to need several extension cords to make everything reach and work to where I could readily enough access the switches. Our approach to extension cords is nothing below an awg #14, and nothing below awg #12 for anything with inductance, like a pump or ballast. This gets expensive, but I would rather pay now than pay for being cheap later, if you know what I mean. So needless to say the price tag for setting up the outlet switches was rising quite rapidly. Then I found these remote units. With them we wouldn't need any extension cords, and it was only $50 more than the other unit. Not only would it end up being cheaper, it would also be easier to install and once I get everything cleaned up would hopefully result in a cleaner looking installation (still need to implement the wire keepers that I have here to clean up my spaghetti
).So that is why and how we are using them
Von_Rahvin
New member
glad you got it and it is working well for you
Jonathan,
Several reasons why for us.. and I just knew you were going to bring up your AC III
We only have an AC Jr, which has a limitation of 12 controlled outlets (of which we are already using 10 of them). Additionally, the Jr doesn't have any digital inputs, so any manual control requires more than a few button pushes and navigating through several menus... much more baggage than just flipping a switch.
What I would love to have is an AC III, with several DC8s (and our DC4HD for the lights), a couple of the expansion modules (with the break out packs) for the digital inputs. Then I would set up a row of switches to provide manual control over the equipment through the AC III. I just don't have that ability with the AC Jr. The price difference between upgrading to an AC III, with all of the expansion packs, break out boxes, switches and extra DC8 is monumentally more than what we paid for the Chauvet controller. If money were not an option, I would definitely have gone the AC III route (since it opens up more control to our existing setup than the Chauvet offers), but that is just not in the cards for us right now.
Several reasons why for us.. and I just knew you were going to bring up your AC III
We only have an AC Jr, which has a limitation of 12 controlled outlets (of which we are already using 10 of them). Additionally, the Jr doesn't have any digital inputs, so any manual control requires more than a few button pushes and navigating through several menus... much more baggage than just flipping a switch.
What I would love to have is an AC III, with several DC8s (and our DC4HD for the lights), a couple of the expansion modules (with the break out packs) for the digital inputs. Then I would set up a row of switches to provide manual control over the equipment through the AC III. I just don't have that ability with the AC Jr. The price difference between upgrading to an AC III, with all of the expansion packs, break out boxes, switches and extra DC8 is monumentally more than what we paid for the Chauvet controller. If money were not an option, I would definitely have gone the AC III route (since it opens up more control to our existing setup than the Chauvet offers), but that is just not in the cards for us right now.
jnarowe
New member
OK I get it. I also understand the menu flipping thing can be a hassle sometimes and I myself will unplug something occassionally because it's quicker, but sometimes I forget which plug it goes back into! :lol:
I think installing switches to interact with the ACIII system is probably a bit overkill and your route is themore efficient way to go. My guess is that Neptune will introduce a touch screen type GUI with direct control sometime in the near future. (I hope)
I think installing switches to interact with the ACIII system is probably a bit overkill and your route is themore efficient way to go. My guess is that Neptune will introduce a touch screen type GUI with direct control sometime in the near future. (I hope)
strittmatter
New member
How is the Diadema setosum working out for you? I have some small patches of GHA popping up and my current clean up crew is cutting it. I am thinking about getting one of these guys. I have some unattached frags in the sand though. Do you think he would disturb those?
I have not seen our urchin venture off of the rocks since we got him and I thought I read that they preferred to stay on the rocks/glass, so your sand based frags should be fine. Even if it ventured down into the sand at least it won't be picking all of those frags up (like our pincushion urchin used to *uugghh*).
So far so good with the urchin though.. no problems that I have seen, but still too early to tell if it is going to help make a dent in the red turf algae
So far so good with the urchin though.. no problems that I have seen, but still too early to tell if it is going to help make a dent in the red turf algae
I am not sure I understand what you mean Phong ? Do you mean fixed as in the opposite of broken, or the opposite of adjustable ?
Our AC Jr was never broken.. the Chauvet is "fixed" in that we basically use it for on/off only (although it could be used for extensive, possibly even complex, wavemaking).
HTH
Maybe by then I will have it in my budget to upgrade controllers
. I am glad that I was able to explain my reasoning... I know what I meant and was thinking, but sometimes it doesn't completely translate online
Marc mentioned in his thread that he knew an LFS owner that used the same type of controller as our new one at his store, and was even looking to pick up another one (Marc's is a great thread BTW.. it is in the Reef Discussion forum and highly recommended reading for anyone with the time
).
spazz
New member
well if that is not a neat little controll unit. i like it! hey just an idea.... set the main pump on strobe so it surges. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
ya i know dumb ideas. :lol: :lol: :lol:
i like the fact the plug ins are remote so you can remove the mess of wires from the controller area. good find tom.
but now WE NEED MORE PICS OF THE TANK DAMIT!!!!!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
ya i know dumb ideas. :lol: :lol: :lol:
i like the fact the plug ins are remote so you can remove the mess of wires from the controller area. good find tom.
but now WE NEED MORE PICS OF THE TANK DAMIT!!!!!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
raddogz
Premium Member
Sshhhh...I'm trying to flip through all the messages and scrolling up and down trying to read the messages, scrolling back up to the pictures, and clicking on links.
So let me get this straight the controller which has switches is completely separate from where you plug into? So there are two components then?
So let me get this straight the controller which has switches is completely separate from where you plug into? So there are two components then?
Scott
Yea, more pictures soon, but maybe not as soon as you would like. Our new arrival will be here Saturday, so after that all bets are off for our availability
On a side note I really still want to get with you about those LEDs. The "test" sets from Acolyte will be here next Monday (some how it all got goofed up and they didn't even ship them until after 9 PM last Friday *sigh*
). Hopefully I will still manage some time to do some tests with them
Eileen
Yes, there are 2 separate components connected by that little 9 wire control cable. There are 8 switched outlets and 1 unswitched on that relay block (of outlets). max of 5a per outlet and 15a total (with a built in 15a circuit breaker). I really like the remote aspect of this compared to the typical switched outlet sets I have seen used here on RC. The control piece is meant to be rack mounted (2U form factor, for the techies out there ). So it has wings on the sides, which woulc be used to flush mount it into the side of a stand or cabinet. I still haven't used the "flash" function yet on anything, but may yet come up with a good use for it (our Vortecs are not plugged into this yet, not sure if I will or not, for various, mainly logistical reasons).
The control unit also have an "all on" function as well as the 8 outlets are grouped into 2 sets of 4, with the ability to turn all 4 on or off (regardless of the switch settings), which could be useful for turning groups of devices off for maintenance, etc.
You can also set any number of the outlets to use the chase function, which is basically what wavemakers do. You just set the delay between the chase and it will turn on outlet 1 on, then 2 on/1 off, then 3 on/4 off, and so on. There is also a separate chase sequence (and time delay) for each block of 4 outlets, so you could have 8 powerheads with any 2 on at once, rotating through all 8, 2 at a time, on a set time interval. I think that the min time delay is 1 second and the max is 15 mins.. but I am not sure, because we aren't using that function on this tank
I did use the control to turn off the skimmer last night for it's weekly cleaning, and it worked as I had expected (and did make the task easier, since the air pump outlet was hard to reach before.. now it is an easily accessible switch).
HTH... and feel free to ask any questions. If you need more pictures than you can find online for this unit, just ask and I will do what I can to provide them
Yea, more pictures soon, but maybe not as soon as you would like. Our new arrival will be here Saturday, so after that all bets are off for our availability
On a side note I really still want to get with you about those LEDs. The "test" sets from Acolyte will be here next Monday (some how it all got goofed up and they didn't even ship them until after 9 PM last Friday *sigh*
). Hopefully I will still manage some time to do some tests with them Eileen
Yes, there are 2 separate components connected by that little 9 wire control cable. There are 8 switched outlets and 1 unswitched on that relay block (of outlets). max of 5a per outlet and 15a total (with a built in 15a circuit breaker). I really like the remote aspect of this compared to the typical switched outlet sets I have seen used here on RC
. The control piece is meant to be rack mounted (2U form factor, for the techies out there ). So it has wings on the sides, which woulc be used to flush mount it into the side of a stand or cabinet. I still haven't used the "flash" function yet on anything, but may yet come up with a good use for it (our Vortecs are not plugged into this yet, not sure if I will or not, for various, mainly logistical reasons). The control unit also have an "all on" function as well as the 8 outlets are grouped into 2 sets of 4, with the ability to turn all 4 on or off (regardless of the switch settings), which could be useful for turning groups of devices off for maintenance, etc.
You can also set any number of the outlets to use the chase function, which is basically what wavemakers do. You just set the delay between the chase and it will turn on outlet 1 on, then 2 on/1 off, then 3 on/4 off, and so on. There is also a separate chase sequence (and time delay) for each block of 4 outlets, so you could have 8 powerheads with any 2 on at once, rotating through all 8, 2 at a time, on a set time interval. I think that the min time delay is 1 second and the max is 15 mins.. but I am not sure, because we aren't using that function on this tank
I did use the control to turn off the skimmer last night for it's weekly cleaning, and it worked as I had expected (and did make the task easier, since the air pump outlet was hard to reach before.. now it is an easily accessible switch
).HTH... and feel free to ask any questions
. If you need more pictures than you can find online for this unit, just ask and I will do what I can to provide them 
Elite
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10266276#post10266276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
I am not sure I understand what you mean Phong ? Do you mean fixed as in the opposite of broken, or the opposite of adjustable ?
Our AC Jr was never broken.. the Chauvet is "fixed" in that we basically use it for on/off only (although it could be used for extensive, possibly even complex, wavemaking).
HTH
Didn't you have problem with the AC Jr that turns on/off the light when it feels like it?
Ahhh, that... it happened once and so far has not been a repeat occurrence. I finally did get a very terse PM back from Curt at Neptune Systems about it... I guess he was having a bad week or something, but let's just say that I did not get a good "warm and fuzzy" from the message. Nothing overtly rude, kind of hard to describe, but not exactly what I expected to receive back from them either.
Since then I have just let it got and kept a very close eye on things. I believe that the problem was with the DC4HD and not with the AC Jr, based on what I witnessed and what I had to do to reset the outlet status.
Since then I have just let it got and kept a very close eye on things. I believe that the problem was with the DC4HD and not with the AC Jr, based on what I witnessed and what I had to do to reset the outlet status.
Ok, so to answer the call for more pictures, here are some that I took last night just before lights out
Let's start off with a couple of our clowns playing in and around our RBTA
Then we will move to the bazooka joe, glowing and growing well :
and Exotics Reefs Rasta (which is finally starting to get it's expected colors showing up) :
Let's start off with a couple of our clowns playing in and around our RBTA
Then we will move to the bazooka joe, glowing and growing well
:
and Exotics Reefs Rasta (which is finally starting to get it's expected colors showing up
) :
The long branched green acro was off of the frag rack at Atlantis, so I have no idea what it is, but it glows like our green slimer except that it has bluish tips (where our slimer is all green). The growth pattern between this and our slimer is quite different also. Either way it is a nice piece and the pictures don't do it justice
This one had no color (aside from brown) for many months now (almost a year), but it is starting to get some vibrant purple tips and looks to possibly be a granulosa of sorts. Once it grows more the colors should be more evident (And once I learn to take a decent picture too)
I love the baby blue w/ purple tips granulosa in the center of this shot
Here are some of the frags that are taking up residence on our sand bed (hopefully we will be able to move them up into the rocks today or tomorrow)
This one had no color (aside from brown) for many months now (almost a year), but it is starting to get some vibrant purple tips and looks to possibly be a granulosa of sorts. Once it grows more the colors should be more evident (And once I learn to take a decent picture too
)
I love the baby blue w/ purple tips granulosa in the center of this shot
Here are some of the frags that are taking up residence on our sand bed (hopefully we will be able to move them up into the rocks today or tomorrow)
Here is one of our blue millies and a pink prostrata. They are growing nicely and starting to really fill in. We can't wait to see them all grown out
I am not sure what this is, but it is a very dark purple with very furry polyps
Here is our meteor shower cyphastrea, we keep it in a lower light section so the picture is a little dark (darker than it is in person).
Here is what I think is a green/yellow humulis (sp?). It also looks darker than it really is. I had thought it was in too low light but we still get good color and growth (several new shoots and branches since moving it up there a month or so ago).
I am not sure what this is, but it is a very dark purple with very furry polyps
Here is our meteor shower cyphastrea, we keep it in a lower light section so the picture is a little dark (darker than it is in person).
Here is what I think is a green/yellow humulis (sp?). It also looks darker than it really is. I had thought it was in too low light but we still get good color and growth (several new shoots and branches since moving it up there a month or so ago).
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